


Pumpkin Spice Latte Is Back Again Now, But Not Our Love, Apparently

by Psychodaelic



Series: Brew It New And I'll Call You [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Bittersweet, Break Up, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I don't this this is angst, Is this even angst, JUST, KuroTsuki stayed friends, M/M, Post-Break Up, This fucking titanic ship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-14
Updated: 2017-08-14
Packaged: 2018-12-15 06:06:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11799993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Psychodaelic/pseuds/Psychodaelic
Summary: “Hey, excuse me, you drop this?”“Wow, thanks, what a coincidence, though. Guess it’s really fall now, don’t you think?”"..."“The name’s Tetsurou, Kuroo Tetsurou.”“I’m… Tsukishima Kei.”-Tsukishima Kei didn’t like fall. Well, truth to be told, he did enjoy the scenery and color, also the food and how they reminded him of his home back in Japan. But, on the other hand, fall also gave him a reminder of someone from the past, someone Kei wished to forget already.





	Pumpkin Spice Latte Is Back Again Now, But Not Our Love, Apparently

**Author's Note:**

> Song of Choice: I know by TOHOSHINKI

Tsukishima Kei didn’t like fall. Well, truth to be told, he did enjoy the scenery and color, also the food and how they reminded him of his home back in Japan. But, on the other hand, fall also gave him a reminder of someone from the past, someone Kei wished to forget already. He left Japan for a greater good. He wanted to start anew.

But of course, that foolish dream would always be dream if Kei failed. Without passing his semester here, he had to pay dearly and by that, he meant literally and figuratively. A humble college student as he was, Kei couldn’t afford to blast his saving for some short winter semester classes. Nay, he rather died after finishing his exams than giving his professors holiday bonuses.

It’s nearly sunset as Kei reached his building and the sky’s getting dark. The season here wasn’t as bad as he had thought but still winds made him uneasy. Just then, Kei felt someone walked past him and dropped a small thing. ‘Key chain, huh?’ Kei took it and gave is a glance before saying out loud.

“Hey, excuse me, you drop this?” It seemed that had startled the man. As he turned his back, Kei met a stare and a smile. A very nostalgic one.

The man then laughed, even though Kei didn’t sure what caused him to do so. “Wow, thanks, what a coincidence, though. Guess it’s really fall now, don’t you think?” It’s a pun, Kei knew, but still it astounded him. A hand reached out to Kei and he took it as a sign of giving the keychain back.

Much to his surprise, the man did not only take his keychain but, along with it, also Kei’s hand. “The name’s Tetsurou, Kuroo Tetsurou.” Kuroo Tetsurou smile’s back and Kei nearly lost his words.

“I’m… Tsukishima Kei.”

“Well, then, Tsukishima,” Tetsurou fixed his bag and stepped back, “I gotta go now. _Sayonara_.” With that, he walked into the sunset, drowned in the sea of human.

A minute passed away before Kei could understand what the mysterious man had said, ‘Why he said that, again?’

* * *

Fall in this state could only meant one thing, the Pumpkin Spice Latte was back. Kei was never a fans of this popular franchise product, but even he acknowledged the power of this spice drink. Sometimes in a while, it’s worth more to buy an expensive drink than suffering from some cheap coffee maker.

“Fancy meeting you here, Tsukishima,” the voice was memorable enough and Kei met Kuroo Tetsurou’s grin, “I don’t think you’re the type who’d spent their time in this kind of place.”

 “Well, that’s because you think you know me while you don’t, Kuroo-san. This is a public place, I have the right to spend my time here as well as you,” Kei sipped his drink slowly, waiting for the man’s reaction.

Tetsurou didn’t look offended, rather, he looked amused? Kei didn’t get him. “You’re right,” Tetsurou finally concluded, “I never know you at all, Tsukishima.” Instead of walking away from him, Tetsurou took the seat in front of Kei. If he ever felt the uncomfortable aura from Kei, he didn’t say it.

“So, let’s do it right once again. Hi, my name is Kuroo Tetsurou. I was from Japan but I finished up my degree here and continued working since. I played volleyball as middle blocker and assume you’re the same. I like my coffee a bit sweet with no cream and I love grilled fish. I don’t really visit this place but my roommate craved for the coffee so I’m here being a kind and lovable friend and doing him a favor.”

“I’m asking you no such thing, though,” Kei threw his gaze to the window beside him, tried to not look undisturbed or even care.

Tetsurou laughed and it was the same sound Kei remembered he heard from yesterday, “Well, I also didn’t ask to meet you again, but here we are…”

“Of course,” For once, Kei returned the smile, “Who’s to blame now when we’ve swore never to see each other again…”

The sudden burst of laugh startled Kei, “I know, right? I don’t believe I actually called you out yesterday! I was like, hey, that boy got my key, how kind of him! But then I realized it was you and God help me, I started to reintroduce myself like that!” Tetsurou snickered, “But you! You just replied me as if we’ve never met before! Oh God, Tsukishima, if only you knew how loud I was laughing back in my room after that… My friend thought I’m getting sick!”

Kei didn’t know what kind of face he’s making right now, “Are you done yet?”

“Damn hell, no! Okay, first of all, what are you doing here? Second, why didn’t I hear anything from Shrimpy-kun? Also,” the pause stayed longer and with every second, Kei felt his defense faltered, “Did you miss me, Kei?”

* * *

 

_“Kei, don’t you miss me?”_

_ ‘What’s with the sudden call, Kuroo? You do realize I’m not in the place to receive call now, right?’ _

_Tetsurou grinned, “Oops, sorry, Smart Guy, do I interrupt your reviewing time? Why bother learning now, though, you’ll ace the exam just fine!”_

_ ‘Well, not everyone has the leisure to enter any university they want, Kuroo. If that’s all you got to say, I’m hanging up.’ _

_“Tsukki?!”_

* * *

 

Kei remembered getting annoyed at that Cheshire cat grin, and unvolunteered memories rushed back, “First, I’m here for studying. Second, I don’t like to flaunt my achievement, less to the obnoxious shorty who can’t keep his mouth shut. Last,” He could feel his sound got shaky and full defensive, “I didn’t miss you at all, Kuroo-san.”

Tetsurou nodded as if he had it projected beforehand, as if he _knew_ , “It’s your last year on this second degree, right? Gosh, years really passed away easily…” The smile returned and Kei nearly felt sick looking at it, “Harsh, Tsukishima, I’ve always be kind to you, though. What’s that? _Tsundere_ move?”

‘Who’re you calling ‘tsundere’, bastard.’ Kei gritted his teeth, “I don’t even have reason to remember our past, why should I miss you?” He realized now that his drink lost its warmth but he’s no longer care, “Besides, I’ve already moved on, long ago.” That seemed to surprise Tetsurou by the look of his eyes. Silence hung around them with coldness and sweet fragrance.

“I always liked your way of lying through things, Tsukishima,” Tetsurou said with knowing smile, “Not because I rarely got caught in it. You’re just that bad. Tsukishima Kei isn’t a good liar.” That smile disappeared and Kei met a cold gaze that pierced through his mind, “Now, why would you lie like that, Tsukishima?”

* * *

 

It was also fall, that time, in Japan. Because of Tetsurou’s schedule and Kei’s exams, they rarely met each other, even calling would be some kind of trouble in inappropriate time. Luckily, Tetsurou got his break and his playmates asked him to join a trip to some places in Miyagi.

Just right after he walked out from the train, Tetsurou felt his phone ringing. “Kei? Nice timing! Hey, are you home? –“

_‘Kuroo-san, I think we should break up.’_

“Right now, ‘coz, wait, what? Kei, what are you talking about? Did I miss anything?”

_‘I said, we should break up, Kuroo-san.’_

He dragged his feet to a corner, every second turned heavy, “Kei, let’s talk this through.”

_‘There’s nothing to talk about.’_

“Then we won’t, but I want you to say it in front of my eyes.”

_‘Why should I? I’m no longer have a romantic feeling toward you, and so are you.’_

Tetsurou could feel his anger slowly raising and he had trouble to keep his tone down, “My feeling is my own to be justified, Kei, and that’s some shitty reason for avoiding me…” He let out sigh, “Let’s meet at your favorite shop, I’m nearby.”

 _‘What? You are in Miyagi?! What the hell are you doing?! You didn’t even tell me before! Geez, this is a part of you that I hate the most…_ ’ Tetsurou knew Kei didn’t like surprised, but he never heard it like that, was this really their end? _‘… It’s not like I don’t want to meet you, but I’m not in Miyagi right now, I’m sorry.’_

“I’m not here for you, well, mainly, but I do plan to visit your place.”

 _‘That… Kuroo-san, don’t you realize it? We don’t like each other anymore. Tell me, why are you here? Is it because you want to, or because you_ HAVE _to meet me? To be honest, I don’t feel like seeing you again, Kuroo-san, that’s why I called you…’_

“That’s, not entirely wrong. I think it’s better for us to keep distance for a few days, you know, to think this through… But I still want to talk with you, eyes to eyes.”

_‘Like I said, why should we meet? There’s no point of talking this, it’s clear that now we aren’t what we’re used to be._

_‘I don’t want to hurt you…’_

Tetsurou could feel Kei’s emotion through his voice. It’s hard to keep strong façade but he couldn’t tear apart now, “Then let’s meet for the last time. After that, I won’t ever contact you and neither you will.”

* * *

 

“I’m not lying.” His voice didn’t crack and Kei was proud of himself that moment. Tetsurou laid back to his chair and stared at the ceiling.

“I’m taking back what I’ve said. You’ve became a nice liar, Tsukishima, but for you to tell me that when I’m not even asking you… I have doubt,” the look in Tetsurou’s eyes weren’t readable and Kei cursed himself internally, “Are they someone I know?”

“It’s none of your business. Why are you still here? Why are we talking as if nothing ever happened?”

Tetsurou laughed, “Hey, don’t ask me! I’m not the one who said we shouldn’t ever meet again!” Kei looked at him disbelievingly, “… Okay, so I AM the one who said we shouldn’t ever meet again, but why did you pick this place? Hundreds of good universities in this world and you choose a state where I’m working?”

Kei let out a sigh, “For now let’s just said it’s ill luck that brought us together like this. I only have another year here and we’ve been avoiding each other since long, we’ll manage.”

“Who said that I’ll avoid you again?”

Kei quickly shoot his glare to the man in front of him, “What?”

Tetsurou stirred his long-forgotten coffee, “Look, I’m sorry for meeting you like this and I’m sorry for ending the things like that, but these past years trying to look for a place far away from you are tiring me. After all, we still meet each other,” _the odds of that, though_ , Kei was amazed by nature’s work, “What I’m trying to say is… Let’s try to be nice acquaintance, yeah? Just greet each other when we meet, things like that.”

“That’s… okay, I guess.”

The smile in Tetsurou’s lip was now soft, unlike his Cheshire cat grin, it seemed nice, “Well, nice to talk to you again normally, Tsukishima. I gotta go now, time’s not on the adult’s side.”

Kei snorted, “I’m not teen anymore.”

“Well, you’re still younger than me,” Tetsurou stuck his tongue out like a child he really was and Kei only watched in disbelieve. “You know,” his voice softened again and his eye light differed, “I still like you, Kei.”

Kei’s eyes rounded in surprise but then he got a grip of himself and chuckled, “You’re even a worse liar than me, then, Kuroo-san…

“At least I’m not making up my own feeling like that.”

Tetsurou laughed and waved to him, “Sayonara, Tsukishima!”

* * *

 

“I don’t think you’ll really meet me here, Ke–Tsukishima,” the place was quiet but it’s fine. Kei didn’t want to meet Tetsurou in Miyagi and his parents were asking him to come with them to Fukushima so here they were.

Kei stayed unfazed, “Since you’re thinking about that, I’ll take my leave now.” A strong grip met his hand, keeping him from walking away.

“You know, you’re not the only one ‘wasting’ their time, ‘Tsukki’,” Tetsurou said with low and cold tone.

Kei grimaced toward the nickname and repelled Tetsurou's hand, “Don’t call me that, and if you know that already, you’d also know that this talk is futile. What do you want now, Kuroo-san?”

“Why the sudden break up?”

Kei tried to divert his glance away, “It’s not that sudden, though.”

Hearing that made Tetsurou laugh half-heartily, “What? You saw this coming? What are you, Psychic?”

“Rather, I’m just simply observing you, Kuroo-san, observing our relationship,” Kei finally braced himself to look at Tetsurou’s eyes, “I just realize that something’s wrong with us.

“My said feeling for you, well, turned out it’s not that kind of like. Just because we’re comfortable with each other didn’t mean we brought the same romantic feeling everyone else felt…”

Tetsurou sighed and kneaded his temple, “So you’re saying that these past 2 years of something between us is not love? Great,

“At least I’m not the only one thinking like that.”

The look on Kei’s face almost made him want to stop, but Tetsurou too had something to say, “Don’t get me wrong, Tsukishima, I do care for you, even now, but just as you said days before, I began to realize that being a boyfriend to you is only an obligation for me, for your feeling from that time. In a harsh word, just because you told me you liked me and I knew that when you told me…

“I’m sorry if I ever hurt you by acting that way. It seems both of us know that this was a misunderstanding from the start.”

Kei nodded, “Then, isn’t it clear now that we should break up? There’s no point of continuing this.”

“One last question, though,” Tetsurou pleaded, “Where will you continue your study after high school, you know, so I can avoid you?”

Shrugged, Kei bit his lip, “Just entering any university that isn’t in Tokyo, maybe? I don’t feel like continuing volleyball in college too.”

“It’s understandable, although it will be a complete waste,” Tetsurou replied, “Well, I’m only in Tokyo until I finish my degree. Feel free to roam in there after that.”

Kei grunted, “You don’t have to tell me that.”

“Just saying,” Tetsurou shrugged, “So, it’s time for bye-bye now?”

“Yes, thanks for everything until now, Kuroo-san. I got to go now, my parents are waiting.”

“Tell Akiteru-san I said ‘hi’, please.”

“Why should I do that?”

“We won’t meet again, what’s the harm in that?”

“True. Okay then, see you, Kuroo-san.”

“ _Never_ see you, you mean?”

“… My bad, sayonara, Kuroo-san.”

“Sayonara, Tsukishima.”

**Author's Note:**

> /sOBS I'M SO SORRY  
> well, not really, I've always want to write a break up story and how characters will handle that, so KUDOS to KUROTSUKI for making me crave this thing since I was in high school


End file.
